Gaseous-discharge device



Dec. 14, 1965 w. A. WARD GASEOUS-DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1961 E P 0 C S o B 0 Dn T S CONTROL FIG.2

INVENTOR. WILLIAM AWARD FIG.3

ATTORNEY fatfis Patent Oflfice 3,223,884 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 Germeshausen & Grier, Ina, Boston, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Sept. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 140,826 2 Claims. (Ci. 315-60) The present invention relates to gaseous-discharge devices and more particularly to gaseous-discharge flashtubes having a plurality of probe-type trigger or control electrodes such as is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,977,508 issued on March 28, 1961, to Kenneth J. Germeshausen.

example, it was not known that difiiculty would be encountered in firing such The mechanisms that caused the moved the difliculty, as disclosed in US. patent application No. 78,587, filed on December 27, 1960, by Kenneth I. Germeshausen and John L. Turner.

have discovered and tube which aids in achieving this tube is then inserted in a tube socket, an isolating capacitance exists between each trigger pin and its associated pin socket. This capacitance is sufiicient to perform the functions of the isolating capacitors disclosed in said Letters Patent.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention will be had by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a circuit that may be utilized to operate the flashtube of said Letters Patent;

partial cutaway showing partially in ment of my invention; 3 is similar to FIGURE 2 other embodiment; and

FIGURE 4 illustrates the embodiment of FIGURE 2 inserted in a pin socket of a tube socket.

The operation of the circuit of FIGURE 1 is similar to that disclosed in said Letters Patent. A direct curshowing anprobes 21, 23, 25, 27, 29 and 31. Flashtube 1 breaks down from cathode 7 to trigger probe 21; thence to probe 23 and so on to anode 5 Letters Patent No. 2,977,508. A brilliant flash of light is produced.

As heretofore stated, my invention capacitors C In the embodiment 121 of fiashtube eliminates separate of FIGU Or, said pins may be dipped into a liquid insulating material which adheres to and subsequently hardens on the pins. Obviously pins 15 and have to be masked during his process. The thickness of insulating coating 40 may be controlled by means well known in the art.

When flashtube 1, having trigger pins so coated is inmaterial. I have found this ca pacitance sufiicient to perform admirably the isolating function of capacitor C Reduction and miniaturization of the operating circuit is therefore aided by the elimination of capacitor C The embodiments tive.

4 through the glass envelope, a tube socket having means References Cited by the Examiner for engaging the conductive pins to an ofperatilve circuit, UNITED STATES PATENTS the improvement comprising a coating 0 insu ating material on each of the trigger electrode pins, said insulating 2,421,780 6/1947 Frear 317' '257 material being located on the portion of each trigger elec- 5 2,477,688 8/1949 Dyer 317-249 trode pin exterior to said envelope, whereby a capacitance 2,643,362 6/1953 Johansson 317-410 is serially connected with each trigger electrode pin when 2,977,508 3/1961 Germeshausen inserted in Said tube Socket JOHN W. HUCKERT, Primary Examiner.

2. A discharge device as in claim 1, in which said in- Sulative mate ri a1 comprises insul JAMES D. KALLAM, DAVID J. GALVIN, Examlners.

ating tubing shrunk-fit 10 on each of said trigger pins. R. F. POLISSACK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A GASEOUS-DISCHARGE DEVICE HAVING A GAS-FILLED ENVELOPE, AN ANODE LOCATED WITHIN THE ENVELOPE, A CATHODE SPACED FROM THE ANODE WITHIN THE ENVELOPE, A PLURALITY OF WIRE PROBE TYPE TRIGGER ELECTRODES SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND DISPOSED IN THE SPACE BETWEEN THE ANODE AND THE CATHODE, SAID ANODE, CATHODE AND TRIGGER ELECTRODES EACH CONNECTED TO CONDUCTIVE PINS EXTENDING THROUGH THE GLASS ENVELOPE, A TUBE SOCKET HAVING MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE CONDUCTIVE PINS TO AN OPERATIVE CIRCUIT, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A COATING OF INSULATING MATERIAL ON EACH OF TRIGGER ELECTRODE PINS, SAID INSULATING MATERIAL BEING LOCATED ON THE PORTION OF EACH TRIGGER ELECTRODE PIN EXTERIOR TO SAID ENVELOPE, WHEREBY A CAPACITANCE IS SERIALLY CONNECTED WITHE EACH TRIGGER ELECTRODE PIN WHEN INSERTED IN SAID TUBE SOCKET. 